Welcome to my blog where I share my special needs parenting journey with my heart, truth, and love, one story at a time. ❤️

Today I prepared and shared a wonderful turkey dinner with my family. Tomorrow is our Canadian Thanksgiving and we had our turkey and all the trimmings tonight. It’s so fitting that I’m linking up with Lizzi and the TTOT family on this special weekend. Where quality time spent with my family is what I enjoy the most, from the laughter to our Thanksgiving tradition of sharing what we’re thankful for. 💞

I’m also thankful for this epic pie! It was as delicious as it looks. 😋

I have some many things to be thankful for as I smell my delicious turkey roasting in the oven. My family who even if we yell, fight, we love, hug, and forgive just as easily. ❤️

I’m thankful for my siblings who are like a warm comfy security blanket when I feel unsure of myself and my life’s direction. They’re always there offering me their love and guidance and I’m so grateful for that. ❤️

I’m thankful for my friends who love me and accept me for who I am. They’ve been wanting me to come and visit for awhile since my move so it’s time to plan a road trip or save up for a plane ticket. 💞

I’m thankful for the beautiful weather we’re having for fall. We’re experiencing a Chinook, where a warm current of air sits above a cold one and temperature dramatically gets warmer. Last week we were + 6 and today we’re +22. 🌞

I’m thankful for a wonderful blessing I found out about last weekend. I’m going to be in a book anthology! My essay I submitted was accepted and the book will be out by Christmas time. I’m so happy and proud to be a part of this special project with these amazing authors. 😃🎉

I’m thankful that I have the ability to write and tell my story. Sometimes the content I do write isn’t always easy to share, but I know with each story I heal a little more each time. ❤️

I’m thankful for a busy week filled with hockey, visits, shopping, and quality time spent with friends and family.😊

I’m thankful for this platform to express my gratitude from with the Ten Things of Thankful family at the helm of my thankful ship. ❤️

I’m thankful for my wonderful husband who saw I needed help as my head and heart took a trip to overwhelmed ville and he threw me anchor and now I’m afloat. Our youngest son suffers from sleep disordered breathing and had to have a polysonogram. It was difficult to see him hooked up to sensor pads and wires. I made everything into an adventure by telling him the computer and magic wires were giving him superhero powers. It was a long night for me but he slept soundly even with all the attachments that encumbered him. I’m so proud of my little superhero and his bravery. ❤️🌟

I’m thankful for you who stop by to read my words, share my posts, and like to hang out and chat. That’s a whole bucket full of thankfuls I’m grateful to have in my life. 😊❤️

I’m excited to take part in the Opionated Man from Harsh Reality’s challenge to showcase where I live. I’m a Canadian who stumbled across his blog from another fellow talented Canadian writer. My corner of the world is a very interesting one and I’m happy to share it with you today. I was born and raised in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of British Columbia Canada.

Where I grew up in the East Kootneays of BC

Where I lived before in the Fraser Valley in BC﻿
I’ve lived in many different places throughout the province. When I was sixteen I wanted to explore city life once so I moved to Ontario. I lived there for a year and was desperate to get back to my beloved mountains. Due to my husband’s career we move a lot. This is our fourth transfer and our children’s third. Now we currently reside in our new province of Alberta. I honestly didn’t know what to expect when we first moved here, as it’s very flat compared to what I’m used to. In my last town in the Fraser Valley of BC I had mountains in my back yard. Now I reside where I can see clouds stretched out for miles.

Where I live now in Alberta, Canada

When I take walks in my neighbourhood I’m treated to the most amazing gifts of God’s creation. I see brilliant colors woven into the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises. It’s my favourite time of day to take in all this natural beauty. I’ve discovered without mountains I can really see each extraordinary colour in these natural paintings.

When I take my son to hockey practice we have a 30 minute drive out to the country. It’s my favourite time of the week as my kids and are rocking out to the tunes playing. A little Fleetwood Mac, Three Dog Night, and Motley Crüe. My kids grew up with nursery rhymes and knowing the classics as well. The scenery on our drive has been so breathtaking I’ve had to pull over to take pictures. I’ve never seen such spectactcular cloud porn in all my life!

Our favorite thing to do is take a walk along the river. My husband and I teach our son’s the fine art of skipping stones. The peace and tranquility of listening to the flowing water, feeling the crispness in the air, and taking in the sheer beauty of our surroundings is a wonderful gift.

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It can get cold really fast too, where it will go from +6 to -16 overnight. It’s been cold enough since November to build an outdoor rink in our backyard. And our first welcome to Alberta blizzard happened in September! There’s also this amazing phenomenon that occurs called a chinook. It’s when a wave of of warm current air mixes with cold air and the temperature can change from -16 to +16 in a matter of hours. It’s the most spectacular weather pattern I’ve ever witnessed! And now that the temperatures dropped I look forward to the next one.

And the hockey road trips I’ve taken throughout my province have exposed me to some amazing landscapes. I’ve enjoyed each one, and have been grateful to get to know little towns I wouldn’t have known otherwise.

And I can’t leave out the views I have from my deck that move me me to tears and cause me to write poetry. It’s a gift to live here and I’m glad that I’ve been able to connect to nature and not feel so lost and alone in this new adventure. And just like the picture says this is my own little slice of heaven.

﻿Thank you for taking this scenic tour with me. And thank you to Jason at Harsh Reality for suggesting this wonderful idea. 🌸

The poppy to me represents freedom. I think of all the men and women, who have fought and sacrificed and continue to do so, for my country. Canada has always symbolized the true, the North, the strong, the free. I think of my Grandpa on Rememberance day and how he enlisted in both the American and the Canadian armies. He was only 17 when he was stationed in Hawaii. Yes, he lied about his age but that’s how desperate he was to see the world. I remember him telling me stories about how he was a boxer there, and was quite good at what he did while he worked on his basic training. Time passed and war came to Europe. By this time my Grandpa was married to my Gram, and my Mom was just a little girl of nine years old. Those 5 years he was away my Gram became an incredible support to my Mom, and to her own siblings. When my Grandpa returned from the war my Mom was a teenager. He didn’t know this young beautiful woman who wanted to put on makeup and go to “picture shows” with her friends. He sacrificed and fought to come home with wounds from shrapnel in his legs. He also suffered with (what I believe was) undiagnosed PTSD and had to find work to support his family. Emotionally and physically, he needed to integrate in their lives after being gone for so long. And over time he did that, and settled on retiring and enjoying his Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren. He spent his free time gardening and telling stories of his time in the army, over a jug of wine on a Saturday night. I remember sitting on the floor at his feet wanting to know more and absorb every detail of his life. This is what the poppy represents to me freedom, pride, lives lost, hope, faith, and love for my country. Every year I proudly recite the poem In Flanders Fields that I learned in school. This historic poem was written in May 1912 by John McRae a Canadian soldier in World War 1. On the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month I honour and appreciate the ones that have fought and died for my freedom. I’m proud that my Grandpa was one of those soldiers, thank you for the blessings bestowed upon me. I’m very proud to have my freedom and be Canadian.

“In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders Fields.

Today in light of what happened in my country, and my nations capital I don’t make any attempt to be funny for one liner Wednesday. I stand in solidarity with my fellow Canadians with a heavy heart. #ottawastrong.
This is my submission to http://www.lindaghill.com. Check out what her and the other bloggers are up to. Thank you 🍁❤️

This tree, which grows in our valleys, on our rocks . . .grows fast, and when it is tall and strong, does not fear storms and overcomes the North wind which is unable to shake it. The maple is the king of our forest; it is the emblem of the Canadian people. Denis-Benjamin Viger